The front page of today’s The New York Times has a photo of the aftermath of a suicide bomber’s horrific attack on a group of Afghan Shiites who were taking part in a religious ceremony. Human perversity sometimes seems unfathomable, but we must keep trying to make sense of … [Read more...] about Terrorism and the Death Drive
Welcome Aboard the Voyage of Self-Discovery
Centuries ago, explorers launched the Age of Discovery. Now it’s time to launch the Age of Self-Discovery. Our vessel is in need of favorable winds. Storm clouds of worldwide calamity are gathering on the horizon. Global warming and nuclear weapons proliferation are two … [Read more...] about Welcome Aboard the Voyage of Self-Discovery
The Bittersweet Allure of Feeling Unloved
Though it’s mostly unconscious, many people have a strange affinity for feeling rejected, abandoned, and unloved. Yes, this idea flies in the face of common sense. Who would want to bear the pain of feeling unloved any more than what life might force upon us? Our psyche is … [Read more...] about The Bittersweet Allure of Feeling Unloved
How Inner Fear Becomes Our Worst Nightmare
Diminishing our fear is vitally important because fear can cause enormous suffering. It might also have the potential to destroy humanity. The nuclear arms race is, in part, propelled by the fear that we will be attacked and destroyed by our enemies if we do not invest … [Read more...] about How Inner Fear Becomes Our Worst Nightmare
The Problem with Positive Psychology
Most everyone is looking for happiness. The shopping malls of the self-help industry feature thousands of different methods, beliefs, and practices for finding it. Many of these approaches are of limited value, and we do ourselves a big favor by avoiding them. According to … [Read more...] about The Problem with Positive Psychology